March Is Next Fire System Contractors Board Meeting February 9, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems.Tags: alarm, fire, fire alarm, fire protection, fire suppression, Fire Systems, NFPA, security
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The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office has postponed the February 16, 2011 meeting of the Fire System Contractors’ Board. The next meeting is now scheduled for Wednesday, March 16, 2011 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Public Safety Building, 215 East 7th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, 3rd Floor State Fire Marshal Conference Room #343.
The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.
Please visit: Advisory Board Home Page for additional information and updates.
Framing For Success Is FSSA’s 2011 Forum Theme February 2, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems, FSSA.Tags: clean agents, fire protection, fire suppression, Fire Systems
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The Fire Suppression Systems Association’s annual meeting is set for February 25 – March 1, 2011 at the Gran Melia Golf Resort in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
This year’s theme of Framing for Success encompasses many keynote speakers and presentations including Erik Wahl and his presentation “The Art of Vision.” In addition, several technical related sessions and committee reports will fill the two and a half days of programs.
Unique opportunities for professional and personal networking are hallmark of every annual meeting of the FSSA.
For registration information and a complete listing the exciting schedule visit: www.fssa.net
Happy Birthday, Protex Central! January 31, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems.Tags: alarm, fire, fire alarm, fire protection, fire suppression, Fire Systems, life safety, low-voltage, Protex Central, security
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Protex Central, Inc. marks the start of its 45th year in business on February 1, 2011.
Through its first 44 years, Protex Central has become a recognized systems integrator in the midwest’s fire and security marketplace.
Starting with only himself and a helper, Dennis Mullen has provided the vision and leadership of this dynamic and reliable enterprise. Operating from three fully-staffed office locations, Protex Central provides a variety of installation, testing and maintenance services across numerous vertical markets.
With second generation firmly in place, Protex Central’s envisioned future is to become the premier systems integrator in its marketplace by continuing to provide premium-level customer experiences. To learn more about Protex Central’s envisioned future click here.
Iowa Senate Study Bill Modifies Definitions January 29, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems.Tags: fire, fire protection, fire suppression
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Iowa Senate Study Bill 1067 has been introduced in the Senate’s State Government Committee. The bill modifies the definition of routine maintenance found in the fire protection systems installers licensing law commonly referred to as 100D.
The proposed changes affect subsection 11 by further defining routine maintenance as “including the replacement of sprinkler heads or nozzles and the temporary disabling and subsequent restarting of a system as necessary to perform such routine maintenance. “Routine maintenance” does not include any new installation or the expansion or extension of any existing fire protection system.
It appears the Senate is wanting to loosen the requirements for persons performing fire protection system routine maintenance. Currently only fire protection installer certified by the Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office may perform such work.
Given the importance of having properly operating and maintained fire protection systems, I’ll be interested to learn more about the reasoning behind this proposed modification.
For a full review of the study bill click here.
A Pro’s Reaction To A False Alarm January 17, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems, Good Stuff to Share.Tags: alarm, fire alarm, Fire Systems, life safety
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During a recent overnight stay in the wonderful city of Milwaukee, my son and I were rousted out of bed by the sounding of the fire alarm.
Being the 25-year fire protection systems professional that I am, I immediately began to think of reasons that the alarm was false. No way was I going to get dressed and leave the warmth and comfort of my resting place. With the incessant temporal cadence blaring at or above the requisite dB level, I soon reasoned that I should, as a professional, lead by example and exit the building. And so I did.
On my way out of the stairwell, I encountered the problem – a pulled manual station. Coming towards me was the night manager with reset key in tow. Once reset, he radioed the front desk and the alarm was silenced.
I introduced myself and encouraged him to find the perpetrator and prosecute. He said he already had a very good idea of who it was and that the police had already been summoned. Fire department personnel were pulling up as the alarm was silenced.
Lesson learned for me was that I was glad there wasn’t a fire and that the system worked as it was supposed to. I hope the neaderthals who pulled the station are prosecuted to the fullest extent.
Bottom line: this fire protection professional would rather have an alarm and not need it than to need an alarm and not have it.
Fire Extinguishing Contractors’ Board Postponed Until February 16 January 12, 2011
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The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s office has postponed the January 19, 2011 meeting of the Fire Extinguishing Contractors’ Board. The next meeting is now scheduled for Wednesday, February 16, 2011 beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Public Safety Building, 215 East 7th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, 3rd Floor State Fire Marshal Conference Room #343.
The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.
Please visit: Advisory Board Home Page for additional information and updates.
Does Recent EPA Ruling Affect Fire Protection Systems? January 10, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems, FSSA.add a comment
The Environmental Protection Agency issued regulations effective December 31, 2010 to require monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions from additional sources of fluorinated greenhouse gases, including electronics manufacturing, fluorinated gas production, electrical equipment use, electrical equipment manufacture or refurbish, as well as importers and exporters of pre-charged equipment and closed-cell foams. 
This rule requires monitoring of greenhouse gases for these source categories only for sources with carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, imports, or exports above certain threshold levels. This rule does not require control of greenhouse gases.
Many fire protection professionals have asked if these new regulations apply to fire protection systems and fire extinguishers.
The Fire Suppression Systems Association recently announced that its review of the regulations indicated that it appears that the rule only covers refrigeration appliances and would not include fire protection systems or extinguishers.
For a more details, contact the Fire Suppression Systems Association at www.fssa.net
Iowa Alarm Association Meets January 20 January 8, 2011
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems, Security Systems.Tags: alarm, fire protection, life safety, low-voltage, security
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The Iowa Alarm Association’s first meeting of the year will take place on January 20, 2011 at Smokey D’s BBQ Restaurant in Des Moines beginning at 6:00 p.m.
Featured speaker for the meeting will be Jonathan Lund, Fire Protection Engineer with the City of Des Moines Fire Prevention Bureau. He will be discussing fire alarm plan review and submittal procedures. Lund has been in the position since joining the department in 2008. He is a graduate in fire protection from Oklahoma State University. He is also president of Lund Fire Protection.
New officers for the coming year were elected at the December meeting and are:
Ron Heldt, President
Bill Howard, Vice President
Matt Sarcone, Secretary
Ken Samek, Treasurer
Persons and companies involved with security, life safety and low-voltage systems are encouraged and welcome to attend. If possible, please RSVP to Ron Heldt at ADT Security Systems.
Fire Extinguisher Contractors’ Advisory Board To Meet January 19 December 31, 2010
Posted by shawnpci in Fire Protection, Fire Systems.Tags: fire, fire alarm, fire suppression, Fire Systems
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The Iowa State Fire Marshal’s Fire Extinguishing Contractors and Alarm Systems Advisory Board is scheduled to meet Wednesday, January 19th, beginning at 10:30 a.m. at the Public Safety Building, 215 East 7th Street, Des Moines, Iowa 50319, 3rd Floor State Fire Marshal Conference Room #343.
The meeting is open to the public and all are welcome to attend.
Please visit: Advisory Board Home Page for additional information and updates.
Onward and Upward in 2011 December 31, 2010
Posted by shawnpci in Good Stuff to Share.Tags: Dr. Tom Hanson, postaweek2011
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For sometime now, I’ve been challenging myself to get my web-presence-thingy figured out. Two events have tipped the scales: (1) Meeting The Social Media Bible author, Lon Safko, and reading said bible and (2) Receiving a one-hour consultation with Nancy Laine, The LinkedIn Concierge, as a gift from the best personal performance and executive coach in the world, Dr. Tom Hanson.
Basically, I like to share and be helpful. It finally dawned on me that’s exactly what blogging and social media offers and for free, too. I’ve figured if I can be helpful to others through blogging and participating in the social media realm, then I’m really satisfying a basic need of mine. A win-win!
And so it is that beginning in the new 2011 year, Onward and Upward is going to get much more active – maybe not daily, but certainly every other day or so. I’ve signed up to participate in WordPress’ postaweek2011 challenge. I’m open to the new possibilities and excited to learn and share.
Please feel free to subscribe to and comment on Onward and Upward or to connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter or FaceBook. You can also e-mail me at shawnpci.mullen@gmail.com.
Here’s to a great 2011 and beyond!
Onward and Upward 